Rita J. Beron

The Breath of the Dragon Rita J. Beron

"The fi rst part of the book contains a brief history of China and what brought
on the revolution and the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is important to read
it to understand what followed. Directly after the history, we begin the story
of two girls who have just graduated from nursing colleges in Minnesota. For
one girl it was a life long dream to work in China. Both were recruited by a
Chinese Doctor who wanted nurses for a mission hospital in Chung King. This
is the story of the adventures they have at the hospital in Chung King during
the year 1938 to the summer of 1939 when the Japanese were making inroads
in the north, gradually taking over many areas of China. As the Japanese grew
stronger, there was all out war, with bombings becoming continuous. It is the
story of understanding another culture, falling in love, getting married and
fi nal decision to try and go home before their luck runs out, and the dangers
they face in an effort to leave the country."